Vehicle towing device



Nm. 6,1923. @hmmm R. R. COWLES f I VEHICLE TOWING DEVICE Filed July 31. 1922 Fatented Nov. 5, i923.

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norme' it. cownns, or CHICAGO, ILLINors.

Applicatioii inea July 31, 1922. serial. no. 578,571.

T0 aZZw/wm may concern:

Be it known that l,v RoLLA R. CowLns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Cook County, and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful improvements in Vehicle Towing Devices, of-which the following is declared. to bea full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to vehicle towing devices audits principal object is to provide a towing device of improved and novel construction, capable of being readily attached to the vehicles, and having a flexible, elastic strip or band forming part of the device, and a spool -or reel having a non-revoluble core upon which the strip or band is coiled or wound. Another object is to provide a towing device in which the band or strip may be partially withdrawn from the spool to enable the towed vehicle to remain a short distance behind' the towing wheel, the strip itself having inherent properties which cause it to coil 4itself upon the spool, and thereby take up any slack in the line, whenever thepulling strain on the band is discontinued. Another object is to provide a towing device which is flexible and resilient whereby sudden jars and jerks Yupon both the towed vehicle and the one towing it may be reduced'to a minimum. Another object is to provide means for taking up slack in the tow line. Another object is to provide a towing device with means whereby the towline may be kept free from the ground whenever the distance decreases between the vtowed vehicle and the one towing it. With towing device embodying a simple form ofk the present invention and showing the' same in position connectingtwo vehicles; Fig. 2 is aview, .partly in side elevation and partly in vertical, longitudinal section of the spool and band or strip, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectiontakenon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

' of the chains to 4form loops.

Referring to said drawing, the reference character A designates a vehicle, such as an automobile or other motor vehicle, wagon, truck, or the like, and B designates a disf abled vehicle connected to the vehicle A. by the towing device C whichcontains a simple embodiment of the present invention. In its preferred form,.,the towing device comprises a spool 5 upon which is coiled or wound a flexible, elastic .band or metal strip 6, one end 7 of which is positively secured to the core or body portion 8 of the spool by screws or like fastening devices 9. The core 8 is non-revoluble and is inthe form of a cylindrical block, and to said core are secured two side members 10, which, if desired, may comprise flat disks, and the core and disks may be rigidly secured together by rivets or other like fastening members 11. As a preference, the marginal portions of the side members 10 are secured together by spacers 12 which may comprise pins that extend between the side members and have reduced end portions that extend through the side members and are headed down upon the outer faces thereof. lf desired, anti-friction rollers 13 maybe placed around the spacers 12 although these antifriction rollers may be. dispensed with if desired. Thespacers 12`also act to confine the coil 6a of the band on the spool.

Secured to the spool 5 and to the free end of the band or strip 6 are connecting devices 14, 15, constructed and arranged for connection with convenient parts of the vehicles. In the form of the invention shown, the connectingv devices comprise ,chains having hooks 16 upon theii'fiee ends which may be hooked into or aroundv links y .he chain le is secured to the spool 5A by an eye bolt 17 and, for convenience and economy in con struction, the side members' 10 of the spool are vformed with ears 18 that terminate in :flanges 19 which overlap each other and are reinforced by a block 20 through which the neck or stem 21 of'the eye bolt extends. The eye bolt may be secured to the spool by heading it behind the block or by a nut, if so desired. The chain 15 Vis secured to the end of the band or strip 6 by a D link 22, the end of the band being looped around Vthe D link and fastened thereon by rivets 23. The flexible, elastic band orstrip G is preferably made of spring steel, normally straight, so that whenlit is coiled-or woundV around the iion-revoluble core' of the spool,

it tends to'straighten out, whereby when it Vis free, orV 'whenv any pulling strain on its ffree end ceases, thev coiltends to expand, vvandrwhen tightlyvvwound, it expands from fthe `positiionshown by the dotted lines'in Fig. 2 to that shown. in full lines :in said figure, thereby drawing into the-space be! i ltween theside members of the spool the part 'one chain around the rear spring shackle of Vone vehicle and passing thel othjer chain around Vthe front spring shackle of the otherV vehicle or around the axles, and hooking the hooks upon their chains. the vehicle which does the towing, conimeiicesto move forward, the band or strip Vcommences to pay out ofthe spool, and atA the samel time vao `contracts the coil V6.a upon the'core or body, V8 of the spool. k:During the fina-l act oftightening the coil upon thecore, the inertia of the other vehicle is overcome, sothat 'by the time the coil is wrapped tightly around the core, the towed vehicle is started without any jerks. However, ifthe towing vehicle is moved rapidly, or if the vehicle to be towed is fast in the mud, it may vnot be started until the coil 6 vis tightly wrapped around the core. When the vehicles are both in motion, the bland is maintained in a taut condition and in case the speed ofthe towingfveliicle isreduced below. that lof the towed vehicle, as for instance when the towing vehicle slacks'up or comes to a stop, the coil unwraps lor unfolds from. the Core, thereby taking upl any slack in Vthe line vand n thereby preventing the spool'from dragging ,Y upon theI ground.

l' The device takes up very little room, and

may be conveniently carriedV in the place usually' VprovidedY for containing too-ls or tires, as for instance, under the seats of the vehicle@` It is 'readilyattaclied to the vehicles Vthe spool, and taking up slack.V Thespring strip serves as the tow line, andis connected to one of the vehicles, andV actsautomatically tore-wind itself on the core of the spool,

when released, after liavingbeen partially withdrawn from the'spool. By the term elastic is meant that property of normally straight spring steel strips which causes them to resume their normal shape after being coiledor wound up.

' More or less variation of the exact details 'of said strip.y

It is o of construction is possible without Ydepart- Y Iing from the spirit of this invention; I de-Y sire, therefore", not to Vlimit Vmyself tothe exact form ofy they construction shown and' described, V- but intend, in theVV Afollowing claims, vto point out allroffthe'lY invention dis-y p closed herein.Y f

I cla-im as new, and-desire lto secure by p l Letters Patent: .Y Y

l, A vehicle towing device comprising yaY spool, V a normally" straight, j elastic, metal striphaving its maj or'portion loosely coiled out from the spool,aii d connecting means,

one secured to said spool, and kone'to the free 2. A-vehicle towingdevice4 comprising a j spool havin-gr av central non-'revoluble core,

sidev members 'secured thereto, Vand spacers ,Y

`circumferentially arranged about said side members and extending therebetween andV secured thereto,`a normally straight, elastic,

metal strip having an expansible, coiled portion between the` saidcore and spacers, its inner end being positively secured to .said

core, and connecting means, one secured lto one to the free end of said: p Y i 4 95 3. A vehicle towing device comp-rising a.

said spool and strip.V

spool, a normally straight, elastic, metal strip having an expansible coiled `portion around a-non-revoluble core portionv of. said spool, the inner end of which is secured'fto the noii-revoluble core portion of s'aid'spoolV and its outer free endleading out from vsaid V spool, and connecting chains, one securedV to said spool and one secured-to the freerend .4. A vehicle `towing device comprising a spool having a central core, two-"disk-like side members,` secured thereto,` and circumferen-V y #tially arranged p' sp acers ,extendingl between p vand securedV to said rside members, Va norina'llyY sti-aight, elastic, metal strip-having van' expansible Vvcoiled portion confined Ybetweeii said core and said spacers, its inner j 'end being secured to said co-ie,and c'onnecting members, onefsecured tov said spoolfand vonese'cured to the free end of's'aid'stripl 5.1A vehicle towingrdevioe'comprising a l 'f spool having two 'side members, {eachvyforrned with a radially projecting Vear terminating 'in a transverse flange, theorie over lapping the other, andv a reinforcement block behind said llaiiges, an eye bolt secured tol said iianges and reinforcementblock, a VnormallyV i straight, elastic, metalstrip havingan eX- pansive, coiled: portion,"tlie inner end of which is secured to said spool, and a connect. ing member Vsecuredupcii the outer end 'of saidstrip. f f. i i

6. A vehicle towing device comprising 'a spool7 'a normally straight, elastic, metal strip having a, coiled portion, the inner end bers, antifriction rollers upon said pins, 10 of which is secured to e non-revoluble part a normally straight, elastic, metal strip havof said spool, chains, one secured to said ing a, coiled portion between said core and spool and one to the free end of said strip, antifrictonal rollers, itsI inner end being se- 5 each chain having hooks upon its ends. cured to said core, and connecting members,

7. In a, Vehicle towing device, two side one secured to the spool, and one tothe outer 15 members, a central core secured thereto, cirend of the Strip.v cumferentall arranged spacing pins secured to sind connecting said side mem- ROLLA R. CGWLES. 

